Reusable food or beverage container washing system

Abstract

A reusable food or beverage container washing system and method of operation automates tracking, returning, washing, and outputting of reusable food or beverage containers. A reusable food or beverage container has an identification device associated therewith. The reusable food or beverage container is used to supply a food or beverage to a customer and associated with a customer identifier. When the customer is done using the reusable food or beverage container, it is returned to a receptacle of the system, and automatically transported to a washing system where it is washed, sanitized, and dried, and then output to a stack or other organized storage structure of container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reusable food or beverage container washing system, comprising:
 a reusable food or beverage container;
 a reusable food or beverage container receptacle; 
   an automated washing system, comprising:
 a washing chamber; 
 a reusable food or beverage container washing rack adapted to support the reusable food or beverage container during a washing cycle; 
 one or more water nozzles adapted to spray water to wash the reusable food or beverage container during a washing cycle; and 
   a first conveying mechanism adapted to transport the reusable food or beverage container from the food or beverage container receptacle to the automated washing system;   a second conveying mechanism adapted to transport the reusable food or beverage container from the automated washing system; and   an automated organizing and outputting subsystem disposed to receive the reusable food or beverage container from the second conveying system;   wherein the reusable food or beverage container receptacle receives the reusable food or beverage container in a used and returned state and the reusable food or beverage container is conveyed to the automated washing system;   wherein the automated washing system washes and sanitizes the reusable food or beverage container in used and returned state transforming it to a ready state;   wherein the reusable food or beverage container in ready state is conveyed to the automated organizing and outputting subsystem; and   wherein the automated organizing and outputting subsystem outputs the reusable food or beverage container in ready state and arranged for use.   
     
     
         2 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , wherein the washing rack comprises a revolving hub and spoke wheel adapted to support a plurality of the reusable food or beverage container. 
     
     
         3 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , wherein the washing rack comprises a revolving turntable adapted to support a plurality of the reusable food or beverage container. 
     
     
         4 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , wherein the washing rack comprises a revolving helix rack adapted to support a plurality of the reusable food or beverage container. 
     
     
         5 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , wherein the washing rack uses motion to dry the reusable food or beverage container. 
     
     
         6 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 5 , wherein the motion comprises spinning or shaking. 
     
     
         7 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , wherein the washing rack comprises a conveying mechanism. 
     
     
         8 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a retractable receptacle adapted to extend to receive the reusable food or beverage container. 
     
     
         9 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , wherein a receptacle door is automatically triggered to open when a reader senses the reusable food or beverage container in proximity to the receptacle door. 
     
     
         10 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 9 , wherein the reader communicates with an identification device on the reusable food or beverage container, the identification device comprising one or more of a bar code, a quick response (QR) code, a near-field communication (NFC) chip, or a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. 
     
     
         11 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , wherein a wash cycle is customized based on size, shape, or material of the reusable food or beverage container. 
     
     
         12 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a machine vision device adapted to view and assess a level of soil of a returned food or beverage container between receiving at a receptable and washing in the automated washing system. 
     
     
         13 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 12 , wherein a wash cycle is customized based on a machine vision determination of level of soil for the reusable food or beverage container. 
     
     
         14 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a de-lidder adapted to remove a lid of the reusable food or beverage container following return through the receptacle. 
     
     
         15 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tracking subsystem, comprising:
 an identification device incorporated into and associated with the reusable food or beverage container; 
 a computing device in communication with a data store storing a status indicator of the reusable food or beverage container; and 
 at least one reader that communicates with the identification device and exchanges container data that characterizes the identification device and associated reusable food or beverage container. 
   
     
     
         16 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 15 , wherein the tracking subsystem receives the container data and updates the status indicator of the reusable food or beverage container and stores the status indicator in the data store. 
     
     
         17 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 16 , wherein the status indicator comprises a status of returned, washing, ready, and/or dispatched. 
     
     
         18 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 15 , wherein an instance of the at least one reader is disposed to read the identification device of the reusable food or beverage container at a point of receipt. 
     
     
         19 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 18 , wherein the point of receipt is at the reusable food or beverage container receptacle. 
     
     
         20 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 18 , wherein when the reusable food or beverage container is at the point of receipt, the reader reads the identification device and receives the container data and communicates the container data to a tracking subsystem, which updates the status indicator of the reusable food or beverage container in the tracking subsystem. 
     
     
         21 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 20 , wherein the status indicator is updated to a returned status. 
     
     
         22 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 15 , wherein an instance of the at least one reader is disposed to read the identification device of the reusable food or beverage container at the automated washing system. 
     
     
         23 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 22 , wherein when the reusable food or beverage container is at the automated washing system, the reader reads the identification device and receives the container data and communicates the container data to a tracking subsystem, which updates the status indicator of the reusable food or beverage container in the tracking subsystem. 
     
     
         24 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 23 , wherein the status indicator is updated to a washing status. 
     
     
         25 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 15 , wherein an instance of the at least one reader is disposed to read the identification device of the reusable food or beverage container at a storage point. 
     
     
         26 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 25 , wherein the storage point is an automated organizing and outputting subsystem. 
     
     
         27 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 26 , wherein when the reusable food or beverage container is at the storage point, the reader reads the identification device and receives the container data and communicates the container data to a tracking subsystem, which updates the status indicator of the reusable food or beverage container in the tracking subsystem. 
     
     
         28 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 27 , wherein the status indicator is updated to a ready status. 
     
     
         29 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 15 , wherein the identification device comprises one or more of a bar code, a quick response (QR) code, a near-field communication (NFC) chip, or a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. 
     
     
         30 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , wherein the automated organizing and outputting subsystem comprises an automated stacking subsystem that places the reusable food or beverage container onto an existing stack of containers or places the reusable food or beverage container to initiate a new stack of containers. 
     
     
         31 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 30 , wherein the automated stacking subsystem comprises an electro-mechanical device that lifts or pushes the reusable food or beverage container onto or into a stack or lowers or drops the reusable food or beverage container substantially vertically onto a stack. 
     
     
         32 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , wherein the automated organizing and outputting subsystem comprises an alignment device that places the reusable food or beverage container into a predetermined aligned arrangement. 
     
     
         33 . The reusable food or beverage container washing system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more dryers adapted to dry the reusable food or beverage container at an end of a washing cycle. 
     
     
         34 . A method of washing a reusable food or beverage container using a reusable food or beverage automated washing system, the method comprising:
 providing the reusable food or beverage container washing system comprising the reusable food or beverage container, a reusable food or beverage container receptacle, an automated washing system, and an automated organizing and outputting subsystem,   the automated washing system receiving a returned reusable food or beverage container at reusable food or beverage container receptacle;   the reusable food or beverage container is conveyed with a conveying mechanism to the automated washing system, comprising:
 a washing chamber; 
 a reusable food or beverage container washing rack adapted to support the reusable food or beverage container during a washing cycle; and 
 one or more water nozzles adapted to spray water to wash the reusable food or beverage container during a washing cycle; 
   the automated washing system washing and sanitizing the reusable food or beverage container; and   the automated organizing and outputting subsystem outputting the reusable food or beverage container cleaned and sanitized in ready state.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising the reusable food or beverage container having an identification device incorporated therein and readable by at least one reader. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the identification device comprises one or more of a bar code, a quick response (QR) code, a near-field communication (NFC) chip, or a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein a receptacle door is automatically triggered to open when a reader senses the reusable food or beverage container in proximity to the receptacle door.